1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to fishing rigs and more particularly ice fishing rigs which are portable and include means for signalling the running of a fishing line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Winter sport fishing in cold climates has long been a popular pastime. The sport has developed special equipment to address the particular needs of the winter sport fisherman. Notably, the casting reel and rod used by the sport fisherman in summer months had been replaced by fishing rigs which are baited and left unattended until a fish takes the bait and triggers a signalling device. Such rigs permit the winter sport fisherman to disperse a plurality of baited lines through separate holes in the ice cover and to retreat to the shelter of a fishing shanty until a fish takes one of the baited lines and triggers a signal.
Through the years, the art has developed a wide variety of ice fishing rigs, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A common disadvantage of many of the prior art fishing rigs is they lack the flexibility and control which a sport fisherman enjoys with his summer rod and casting reel. Such maneuverability of an ice fishing rig would be desirable to permit the winter sport fisherman to play a fish which has taken the bait. Also, there is a continual need to develop more improved signalling mechanisms. Prior art signalling mechanisms include flags which are automatically moved to a signalling position when the bait is taken. It is desirable to improve this concept to provide a flag mechanism which will be reliably and quickly moved to a signalling position in time to alert the sport fisherman to use the rig to effectively play the baited fish.
Another problem associated with prior art ice fishing rigs is that the flag signalling mechanisms are not readily visible except in the light of day. When fishing in the morning hours or evening hours when the winter sun has set, it is often impossible to visually detect the flag in the signal position.
Finally, any ice fishing rig must be inexpensive and easy to manufacture as well as provide ease of transportation and storage. This is particularly true since it is common for the winter sport fisherman to want to deploy numerous rigs during a fishing outing.